Bafana Bafana topple Africa's number-one Morocco in AFCON qualifier

Goals from Percy Tau and Zakhele Lepasa saw Bafana claim the scalp of the continent's number-one ranked side in an enthralling clash that entertained over 50 000 supporters at the 2010 FIFA World Cup final venue.

The victory – only Bafana's third over the Atlas Lions – means Hugo Broos' charges topple the North Africans into top spot in Group K of the qualifying campaign for the showpiece in Ivory Coast.

With both nations having secured qualification to next year's AFCON, there were bragging rights and pride to play for in what was expected to be an open fixture, according to Morocco coach Walid Regragui.

The 2022 World Cup semi-finals saw themselves trail after just five minutes as Tau whipped in a cross from the right flank that should have been a routine save for goalkeeper Monir El Kajoui, who stood in for Qatar hero Yassine Bounou.

However, the Al Wehdah shot-stopper fumbled the ball into his own net, sending the crowd into delirium as Bafana celebrated a Christmas gift in June.

It was the hosts who enjoyed the win in their sails as they took the match to the Moroccans, who eventually forced Ronwen Williams into a big left-hand stop to deny Youssef Maleh after 17 minutes.

Bafana had another great chance to score with three minutes left in the first half, but Lepasa failed to connect as El Kajoui made a routine save.

The South Africans immediately picked up from where they left off in the second half, as Themba Zwane sliced through the visitors' defense to find Mihlali Mayambela, whose initial shot was blocked by El Kajoui before Lepasa reacted quickest to tap into an empty net.

16th-ranked Morocco were not going to allow themselves to be outplayed by their 66th-ranked opponents, and up stepped an inspired Hakim Ziyech to curl home a beautifully struck left-footed effort from range.

But Bafana never backed down, and Teboho Mokoena should have added a third to the scoresheet after brilliantly forcing a mistake in the Moroccan defense, though he scuffed his effort and sent it over the crossbar with the goalkeeper to beat.

Nonetheless, the miss didn't dampen the mood as the referee blew the full-time whistle to hand Broos his 10th victory in his 15th match in charge of the South African national team.